Battle Through the Heavens: Xiao Yan, who was kidnapped to another world

"A tattered map?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan lost interest for a moment. Although his soul power could not see through the map, a fragmented map that concealed something unknown, along with several other maps whose whereabouts were unknown, was hardly arousing Xiao Yan's interest.

Ignoring Xiao Yan's disgusted expression, Yao Lao slowly unfolded the parchment and examined it carefully.

When the old apothecary's gaze fell on a blurry, lotus-like object in the corner of the parchment, his expression changed slightly. He bent down and carefully examined the mysterious lotus-shaped object.

Perhaps due to the passage of time, the lotus-shaped object appears slightly yellowed and somewhat blurry, but its general outline is still discernible.

The lotus flower is black, and a thin layer of black flame seems to adhere to its surface. Upon closer inspection, the entire lotus flower gives people an eerie feeling.

"Teacher, what did you find?"

Upon seeing Yao Lao's appearance, Xiao Yan was also startled. After spending so much time together, this was the first time he had ever seen Yao Lao show such an expression.

"Could this be... the Pure Lotus Demon Flame?" With his eyes fixed on the strange black lotus, Yao Lao murmured in surprise and doubt after careful observation.

"The Purifying Lotus Demon Flame?" Xiao Yan was taken aback. "The Purifying Lotus Demon Flame that's ranked third on the Strange Flame Ranking?"

The Pure Lotus Demon Flame, ranked third on the Strange Flame List, has the special effect of purifying all things. Anything that comes into contact with it, even a tiny bit, will be purified into nothingness. Its power is extremely terrifying. No one knows whether this strange flame still exists between heaven and earth, nor does anyone know who recorded it on the Strange Flame List in the first place.

"Perhaps," Yao Lao said with some shock as he looked at the ancient parchment. "I only found some rudimentary traces of this thing when I was searching for the strange fire... Could this map be the way to find the Pure Lotus Demon Fire?"

"Unfortunately, this is just a fragment of the map. With such vague information, we have no chance of finding the Pure Lotus Demon Flame." Xiao Yan clicked his tongue in regret.

"It's good enough to have this much information about the Pure Lotus Demon Flame. With your current strength, even if you find it, you won't be able to do anything about it," Yao Lao smiled. "I wonder how much the Burning Technique will evolve after you devour the Pure Lotus Demon Flame."

"Isn't the highest level just the advanced Heaven Rank?" Xiao Yan blinked and asked curiously.

"That's not necessarily true," Yao Lao smiled mysteriously. "The Dou Qi Continent is very large. You will naturally know this once you reach a certain level."

Xiao Yan sighed regretfully at the silent Yao Lao. He knew that the central region of the Dou Qi Continent was Zhongzhou, and that Zhongzhou had eleven top-tier forces: "One Palace, One Tower, Two Sects, Three Valleys, and Four Pavilions." However, according to the secrets Yao Lao had collected, the core fighting force of these forces was still Dou Huang and Dou Zong, which was clearly not the kind of force that Yao Lao had described, capable of treating Dou Huang as servants.

"Knowing things too early won't do you any good for your future," Yao Lao glanced at Xiao Yan, "You should think about whether you want to cultivate the Purple Cloud Wings now!"

After muttering a few words, Xiao Yan put away the incomplete map in his hand. Then, he flipped his hand, and a black scroll appeared in his hand. It was the scroll of a high-level Xuan-rank flying fighting technique.

In the Dou Qi Continent, Dou Qi wings are the privilege of those stronger than Dou Wang. Although Xiao Yan can also "fly" by relying on his soul power, he is still somewhat obsessed with flying by Dou Qi.

"Black Flame Purple Cloud Eagle, a fifth-tier flying magical beast, is said to possess a rare bloodline of the ancient phoenix. Its flight speed ranks among the top of all flying magical beasts. It is cunning and ferocious by nature, extremely difficult to capture, and only lives in the Cloud Mist region in the southern part of the continent."

After opening the scroll, looking at the small characters next to the black eagle wings with purple cloud patterns, Xiao Yan's eyes showed obvious regret, "If only it were the wings of a sixth or seventh-tier flying magical beast..."

"You're dreaming," Yao Lao said, somewhat speechless. "The speed of a fifth-tier flying magical beast is already comparable to that of a Dou Huang. If it were a sixth or seventh-tier flying magical beast, you wouldn't even be able to dream of it without the skill of a high-level Dou Zong!"

"I was just saying..." Xiao Yan chuckled dryly.

This single fifth-tier Black Flame Purple Cloud Eagle took several Dou Huangs three years to capture. If it were a sixth-tier one... perhaps the cave's owner wouldn't have been able to capture it even by the time he died of old age.

So, how did a Dou Huang obtain the fragmentary map containing the information about the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame?

With this question in mind, Xiao Yan reached out and pressed his palm against the soft wings inside the scroll, then slowly closed his eyes...

*

The Amethyst Winged Lion King has been living a very leisurely life lately.

It had been over a month since Xiao Yan had provided the pill that would allow the Little Purple Crystal Winged Lion King to advance to the fourth rank. Although the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King did miss him a little, he missed the "snacks" that Xiao Yan had made even more.

'It would be better if they just sent snacks and didn't come in person.'

Early in the morning, the Amethyst Winged Lion King lay lazily on his bed, thinking, 'But it'll be soon, won't it? Probably very soon. I need to go to his clan and take care of his people.'

Thinking of this, the Amethyst Winged Lion King revealed a slight smile. Taking care of a family in a small town on the border of the Gama Empire, how much trouble could it possibly cause? Moreover, as a sixth-order magical beast, his strength already surpassed that of more than 90% of the human powerhouses in the Gama Empire. Even if the Xiao family really encountered something they couldn't handle, wouldn't it be easy to resolve with his intervention?

"Besides, if it really can't be resolved, I can just say I'm a seventh-grade alchemist's mount. Anyone with a brain wouldn't directly anger a seventh-grade alchemist, right?"

The Amethyst Winged Lion King had no dissatisfaction with the identity it had acknowledged. In fact, once Xiao Yan truly became a seventh-grade alchemist, being able to be his mount would be an unparalleled honor!

'A sixteen-year-old sixth-grade alchemist…' The Amethyst Winged Lion King smacked his lips, 'Who knows, he might become an eighth-grade alchemist in the future?'

Just as the Amethyst Winged Lion King was envisioning the future, he suddenly sensed a powerful aura approaching his lair—

"Roar!"

As it charged out of its lair at top speed, a tremendous roar echoed outwards.

'A low-level Battle Emperor, wind attribute…' As it ran, the Amethyst Winged Lion King's blood-red eyes flashed with ferocity. 'Since when have low-level Battle Emperors dared to provoke me in the Monster Mountain Range?'

The moment it burst out of the cave, the Amethyst Winged Lion King's beastly eyes locked onto the woman who was hiding her aura in mid-air.

"Lion..." The female Dou Huang was slightly surprised when she saw the Amethyst Winged Lion King come out, but she did not intend to make a move.

The female Battle Queen clearly wanted to start a conversation, but the Amethyst Winged Lion King didn't have the habit of chatting with characters weaker than herself.

"Roar!"

With a deafening roar, violent purplish-red energy condensed in front of the Amethyst Winged Lion King, and then roared towards the female Battle Emperor in mid-air.

The female Battle Emperor in mid-air seemed to have been prepared all along. A long sword slid into her hand, and a blue light instantly covered the blade. Without the slightest hesitation, she slashed at the roar of the Amethyst Winged Lion King.

far away

"The Lion King's roar? Has he encountered an enemy?"

Having successfully controlled the Purple Cloud Wings on his first attempt, Xiao Yan looked up at the sky, where the violent energy emanated. With his sharp eyes, he could vaguely make out the figure of a graceful and elegant woman.

Over there, blue and red light filled half the sky, even the lazy white clouds were tinged with these two colors.

"A female Dou Huang with wind attribute?"

After determining the woman's Dou Qi attribute, Xiao Yan immediately thought of a teacher of a woman with a compound surname, the current sect leader of the Yunlan Sect, a low-level Dou Huang around thirty years old—Yun Yun.

"Is it that person? Why did she suddenly come to the Monster Beast Mountain Range and fight the Lion King?" Xiao Yan frowned. "Could it be that the Yunlan Sect and the Jia Ma Royal Family are preparing to wipe out the Monster Beast Mountain Range?"

“If it is that person, they are probably looking for the Purple Spirit Crystal,” Yao Lao’s voice echoed in Xiao Yan’s mind. “The changes in you over the past year must have already reached the ears of the Yunlan Sect.”

“But the Purple Spirit Crystal only works on those who are building a foundation…” Xiao Yan subconsciously retorted, then frowned, “Could it be that after nineteen months, Nalan Yanran still hasn’t become a Dou Shi?”

"No, I have to go and see."

With a slight tremor of the more than one-meter-long purple cloud wings behind him, Xiao Yan's body slowly rose into the air. With another flap of his wings, he flew towards the battlefield.

Chapter 144 Cloud Rhyme

Hugging the top of the jungle, Xiao Yan flew at an extremely fast speed, and after three or four minutes he approached the location of the battle. The intense energy fluctuations in the sky made Xiao Yan raise an eyebrow slightly.

Xiao Yan was slightly surprised by the energy fluctuations emitted by the Amethyst Winged Lion King. He really didn't expect that in such a short time, the Lion King had improved from a mid-level Dou Huang to a high-level Dou Huang.

'It's time to gather the materials for the Breakthrough Pill, and then the Transformation Pill...'

Dozens of meters away from the aerial battle zone, Xiao Yan stood steadily atop a towering tree, watching the two sides fighting in the sky up close while pondering what to do with the pill lightning from the seventh-grade pill.

The azure sky was dotted with two shades of red and blue, covering half of the horizon, creating a truly spectacular sight.

Above the sky, the female Dou Huang stood calmly, her serene and beautiful face revealing an elegance and nobility that her simple clothes could not conceal. Behind her were a pair of somewhat ethereal blue wings.

'It really does seem to be Yun Yun…' Xiao Yan clicked his tongue slightly. 'Could it be that she really came to find the Purple Spirit Crystal to refine the Purple Spirit Pill for Nalan Yanran?'

For a moment, Xiao Yan was at a loss for words. Even if Yun Yun really obtained the Purple Spirit Crystal this time, and Nalan Yanran took the Purple Spirit Pill, a year and a half later, Nalan Yanran would at most be a mid-stage Great Dou Master, while Xiao Yan was already a late-stage Great Dou Master. Even if he didn't find the Strange Fire in a year and a half, he would still be a Dou Spirit in a year and a half!

'Tsk...we'll see when the time comes...' After clicking his tongue in slight annoyance, Xiao Yan continued to watch the battle on the horizon.

"Human woman, why do you disturb my rest?" Just then, the Amethyst Winged Lion King suddenly roared from the sky.

However, although he said this to the female Dou Huang in the sky, Xiao Yan clearly felt that the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King had actually noticed him.

"I wish to borrow the Lion King's Purple Spirit Crystal!" With her beautiful eyes fixed on the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, the female Dou Huang parted her lips slightly, her calm voice as clear and melodious as pearls falling onto a jade plate.

"Purple Spirit Crystal? It takes my Purple Crystal Winged Lion clan twenty years to shed a small piece from our bodies. How can you just ask for it like that?" the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King mocked.

Indeed, after Xiao Yan took a piece of Purple Spirit Crystal, the number of Purple Spirit Crystals in the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's house was not much—there were probably only seven or eight left.

"I can exchange it with you for what you need."

Although she didn't understand why the Amethyst Winged Lion King, who had been firmly in the upper hand during their brief exchange, would suddenly stop and choose to talk to her, the female Dou Huang was clearly very wary of the Amethyst Winged Lion King, who was already considered a high-level Dou Huang, so her words were not forceful.

"Exchange? Heh, great! I'm currently in the transformation stage. If you can get me a Transformation Pill right now, I'll give you the Purple Spirit Crystal. How about it?" Upon hearing this, the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King burst into laughter.

Having made an agreement with Xiao Yan that he would obtain the Transformation Pill in no more than two or three years, the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, who possessed two Transformation Pills, looked at the female Dou Huang opposite him with a mocking expression.

Upon hearing the Amethyst Winged Lion King's mocking words, the female Dou Huang frowned slightly, then shook her head and said softly, "I'm sorry, I think there are probably very few people in the Jia Ma Empire who can produce a Transformation Pill. However, if you are willing, I can exchange it for three fifth-tier magic cores and a Xuan-tier high-level cultivation technique and fighting skill that you can practice."

Upon hearing the words "Jama Empire," Xiao Yan was completely certain that this person was Yun Yun, the current sect leader of the Yunlan Sect.

"No interest. If you can't produce the Transformation Pill, then leave the Monster Mountain Range." Shaking its massive head, the Amethyst Winged Lion King slightly opened and closed its giant mouth, rejecting Yun Yun's conditions without hesitation.

"Since that's the case... then I'll have no choice but to take it by force." With a soft sigh, Yun Yun raised the longsword in her hand and said helplessly.

"Ha, that's just how humans have always been!"

Upon seeing Yun Yun's actions, the Amethyst Winged Lion King burst into laughter. "Human, I can give you one last chance to leave. No one will be hurt! Otherwise... you will die here!" His voice gradually turned cold, and the Amethyst Winged Lion King's blood-red beast eyes stared intently at Yun Yun.

If the Amethyst Winged Lion King hadn't discovered that Xiao Yan was nearby and felt that Xiao Yan was unwilling to see his fellow clansmen die in the Monster Mountain Range, he wouldn't have stopped when he could have completely crushed Yun Yun. He even gave Yun Yun another chance when the deal she proposed broke down and he was about to make his move.

“Then there’s no need for the Lion King to worry about that.” Yun Yun responded lightly, raising her hand slightly. As she raised her hand, a small cyan tornado suddenly appeared in the sky. The cyan tornado grew with the wind, and in the blink of an eye, it became a huge tornado several dozen feet long.

Between heaven and earth, a blue tornado roared, and giant trees on the ground were constantly uprooted and then shredded into pieces by the raging wind.

"Hmph, then, your death day is today!" The Amethyst Winged Lion King snorted coldly, and then his deep roar resounded throughout the heavens and earth.

After waving his hand to create a soul force barrier around himself, keeping the gale and flames out, Xiao Yan scratched his head. After confirming that the female Dou Huang in the sky was Yun Yun, Nalan Yanran's teacher, Xiao Yan, who already had little interest in the three-year agreement, became even more agitated.

"Teacher, what if, a year and a half later, I directly reveal my strength and express that I have no interest in the so-called three-year agreement, the marriage agreement with Nalan Yanran, or turning Nalan Yanran into a maid? Can we just skip the three-year agreement?"

The battle in the sky and his loathing for the three-year agreement made Xiao Yan unconsciously shake his leg.

"I doubt it," Yao Lao's voice, tinged with complex emotions, echoed in Xiao Yan's mind. "Let's not even talk about whether these people will believe that you went from the third stage of Dou Qi to Dou Ling in three years..."

"Even if they really believe it, if we don't fight, both the Nalan family and the Yunlan Sect will probably try to turn you into one of their own. If you're willing, you can skip the three-year agreement."

It was precisely because he understood this principle that Xiao Yan became increasingly irritable at this moment.

"By the way, if this woman doesn't get the Purple Spirit Crystal, Nalan Yanran might not reach the Great Dou Shi level in a year and a half," Yao Lao added at the end. "There are many pills that can improve strength at the Dou Shi level, but without taking the Purple Spirit Pill first, those pills that improve strength will basically cut off her future."

Nalan Yanran's future has absolutely nothing to do with Xiao Yan, but as the 'young sect master' of Yunlan Sect and the 'eldest daughter' of the Nalan family, even if she wanted to take those pills herself without the Purple Spirit Pill, no one in the Yunlan Sect or the Nalan family would allow it.

"...So, if I don't want to fight Nalan Yanran, who's only a Battle Master, a year and a half later, I'll have to give her a Purple Spirit Pill?"

Xiao Yan was practically grinding his teeth to powder. If he provided the Purple Spirit Crystal, Nalan Yanran would only be a Great Dou Shi a year and a half later. Even based solely on her physical strength, Xiao Yan would have a 70% or higher chance of winning. If he didn't provide the Purple Spirit Crystal, Nalan Yanran, at the Dou Shi level... even if Xiao Yan didn't use his Dou Qi, the fact that she could even injure him would be considered a testament to her efforts over the past three years.

"Unless the Yunlan Sect has a means to unconditionally enhance the strength of a Dou Shi." Yao Lao's voice was tinged with helplessness.

"Unconditionally boosting a Dou Shi's strength?" Xiao Yan curled his lip. "I'd rather hope that the Pill King has collected pills that even you, Teacher, have never heard of!"

Xiao Yan raised his head and looked at the spot where the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King and Yun Yun were fighting—